9/11 men raised 'red flags'

2004-01-27 09:42

Washington - US authorities missed some obvious signs that might have prevented some of the September 11 hijackers from entering the country, the federal commission investigating the attacks said.

Government officials have said the 19 hijackers entered the country legally, but the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States said that its investigation found at least two, and as many as eight, had fraudulent visas.

The commission also found examples where US officials had contact with the hijackers but failed to adequately investigate suspicious behaviour.

For example, Saeed al Ghamdi was referred to immigration inspection officials in June 2001, after he provided no address on his customs form and only had a one-way plane ticket and about $500. Al Ghamdi was able to persuade the inspector that he was a tourist.

The panel also found that six of the hijackers violated immigration laws, by overstaying their visas or failing to attend the English language school for which their visas were issued.

On Monday, at the start of a two-day hearing on border and aviation security, the commission staff issued a statement saying FBI Director Robert Mueller had testified that all of the hijackers came "lawfully from abroad," while CIA Director George Tenet described 17 of the 19 hijackers as "clean".

"We believe the information we have provided today gives the commission the opportunity to re-evaluate those statements," the commission staff said.

The panel said part of the problem was a lack of co-ordination among immigration officials and a focus on keeping out illegal immigrants rather than potential terrorists.

The bipartisan panel was created by Congress to study the nation's preparedness before September 11 and its response to the attacks, and to make recommendations for guarding against similar disasters.

Red flags

It has held six hearings to gather information. Among those it heard from on Monday was customs agent Jose Melendez-Perez. He said that suspected September 11 ringleader Mohamed Atta raised enough red flags - including having the wrong student visa - that he should been blocked from entering the United States.

He explained that Atta's age and impeccable clothes appeared to contradict his story about being a student. "I would have recommended refusal," said Melendez-Perez.

Melendez-Perez is credited with stopping a man who US officials believe may have planned to be the 20th September 11 hijacker.

The man, identified by federal officials only as al-Qahtani, was stopped at Florida's Orlando International Airport in late August 2001. Melendez-Perez said he became suspicious when al-Qahtani provided only vague answers about what he was doing in the United States.

US officials then put al-Qahtani on a plane back to Saudi Arabia. He wound up in Afghanistan, where he was captured by US forces. He now is being held with other captives at the US naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

The commission detailed other government missteps prior to September 2001:

Three of the hijackers, al Ghamdi, Khalid al Mihdhar and Hani Hanjour, submitted visa applications with false statements about never previously applying for a visa - information that could have been easily verified.

One hijacker, Ziad Jarrah, entered the United States in June 2000 on a tourist visa, and then enrolled in flight school for six months. He never filed an application to change his status from tourist to student. Had immigration officials known, they could have denied him entry on three subsequent trips.

Mary Ryan, former assistant secretary for consular affairs at the Department of State, said the nation's visa processing system was hindered by insufficient data from intelligence officials about suspected terrorists, as well as a lack of staff, which limited lengthy questioning of suspects.

"Any name check system is and will be only as good as the information that is in it," Ryan said, acknowledging under questioning by commissioners that information-sharing remains poor among federal agencies.

Tuesday's hearing will focus on vulnerabilities and security failures within the nation's aviation system. The commission is scheduled to complete its work by May 27, but members have said they may ask Congress to give them more time.

National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States: http://www.9-11commission.gov

- AP